Here are a few words you don’t often see together: “over 50” and “long hair.” But when you look around, you’ll see ladies over 50 rocking long hair everywhere: from Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara to Oprah Winfrey and Julianne Moore. It’s not always the length that requires attention, but the style you’re maintaining. In other words: one of the biggest reasons why women are advised to chop off their hair after 40 or 50 is because long, lanky hair with no shape doesn’t usually flatter most people, regardless of age. But if you add shaping elements like bangs and layers, suddenly, you have a whole different look.
Hair Expert Justin Hickox has seen his share of great and bad haircuts. If you love long hair after 50, here are five of the most flattering hairstyles you need to know about because they’re so volumizing.
Long Hair With Bangs
Long hair that lacks a ton of short layers BUT features bangs can be a great look because this fringe accentuates your eyes and cheekbone structure, especially if your bangs aren’t too square and gradually get longer and more angled on the sides. This is a great style for anyone who isn’t ready to dive into layers yet, but wants to add a point of interest that makes a haircut look like a hairSTYLE.
Long With Face-Framing Layers
Face-framing layers can change the look of your face, depending on where those layers start: you can actually add fullness to your face or length. If, for example, you feel your face is on the shorter side, starting layers beneath your chin can help elongate the look of the face. If you feel your face is long, starting layers directly at your chin can add the look of fullness to your face. These layers also do a great job of tying into bangs, if you love the look of a fringe.
Long With Strong Layers
If you’re a fan of movement and texture and aren’t going to shy away from styling your hair with a bend in it, try a long haircut with strong layering, which just means more layers than you might see in a typical, long-layered cut. This type of cut does a good job of adding volume to the temple area, which can appear more youthful.
Long With Strong Layers Styled Wavy
Strong layering coupled with soft waves equals a timeless look that adds dimension and movement to your overall style. You can also add bangs to this look to draw the eye to a focal point of interest.
Long Hair With Long Layers Styled Curly
Curly hair tends to grow outward rather than downward, Hickox explains. Over-layering it or “strong layering” it can pull the bottom of your hair in and create an illusion of more volume up again around the temples. These extra layers can also add more movement and texture — and this can make your shape more lively.
If you’re 50 and love your long hair, keep it — and consider adding strategic layers or even bangs to boost your look and make it even more chic.
